Addition
by shy333
Summary: While hunting a nest of vamps in Indiana, Maria (OC) meets our famous Winchester boys. They work together on the case, but will she stick around with them for more? Set sometime in season 1-2, no specific timeline at this time. Eventual Dean/OC relationship.
1. Chapter 1

Finally I was closing in. I was in Buffalo finishing up a case of a vengeful spirit when one of my contacts filled me in on my next hunt. A nest of vamps was wreaking havoc in Indiana city. There had been two murders so far, and the body count will only continue to climb. As soon as I got word, I booked it down south to Evansville. It took a day and a half to drive my (slightly beat up) Ford F150 down there. I've dealt with vampires before, but only in small numbers. The only ones I've come across were a mated pair. According to my sources, this is supposed to be a larger infestation, maybe ten or so vamps. It's a little daunting but if I plan it out well enough, I think I can handle it.

Once I arrived I got to work. I interviews family, friends, and witnesses. I got the police reports and visited the morgue to confirm this really was the work of vampires. Once I'd covered all my bases, I went in tracking mode.

I checked into the cheapest motel I could find, and started to scope out where the nest might be holed up. I'd spent a couple days looking into various abandoned places and eventually narrowed it down to a few: a old, run down apartment complex in the bad part of town, a decaying hotel that was once grand and opulent, an unused factory on the outskirts of the city. I'm at more of an advantage here than usual though. My home town is in the rural area outside the city, so I know of many places the vamps could be hiding.

I staked out each of the places I thought their nest could be and found activity in the old hotel. It's downtown, surrounded by vibrant nightlife and drunk people, so there's plenty of prey for them to choose from. After a day of watching their base, I decided to take a breather for the night and go after them in the morning.

* * *

I walk down the street a few blocks, happy to be out in the cool fall air. Tired of being on my own for last several days, I'm out in search of a more lively place to take a load off.

A neon sign around the corner draws me in, shouting out "Hammerhead Bar" in glowing, bright blue letters. It looks interesting enough so I make my way over.

Stepping in the doors, I can feel and hear the music blasting. It's definitely not a sleek, hip downtown club. The interior is dark and smokey, and the classic rock blasting probably won't attract many young downtown folks. But this is like the dozens of taverns, bars, and hangouts I've been in around the country and I feel right at home.

I head over to the bar and order myself a screwdriver; it's my favorite thing to keep my mind off everything. The blonde bartender pours out my drink over ice and slides it down the bar to me. I take it and sip on it as I meander around the bar.

A favorite pastime of mine is to strike up conversations with the most interesting people I can find, wherever I go. In all likelihood, I'll never see any of them again, so there's no worries about making a bad impression or coming off as crazy. It's like remaking yourself over and over.

I lay out my choices in my head. There's a very attractive, very curvy brunette in the corner arguing with some guy I assume is her boyfriend. I could swoop in after her fuck-up of a guy heads out and convince her I'm the thing she needs to heal her heart. That could make for a fun night. Or there's the elderly, sorta rough looking couple dancing together in the middle of the dance floor. He's got a beat up old biker jacket on and is twirly her around like they're half their ages. I bet they'd have some interesting stories to tell. In one of the grimy booths, two guys are leaning over it, whispering quietly to each other and stealing glances around the room every few seconds. They look like they've got secrets and I decide that I'd like to find out what they are.

I wander on over to their booth, not directly. I want to make this look natural, like I didn't pick them out as my subjects to study. My boots click softy on the sticky dance floor as I close in.

I stand confidently in front of the booth as they both silence themselves.

"Hi there boys" I say with a sticky sweet smile.


	2. Chapter 2

The taller one gives me a weird look. But the other one decides to play along with my game.

"Hey there girly. How's it going?" he says with a beaming smile.

I see the tall one roll his eyes; obviously they've been through this little dance many times.

"I'm great! I'm in town on my own and wanted some fun people to talk to. You guys mind if I join you?"

He slides over and I hop in the booth, across from the tall one.

"My name's Maria. Who are you guys?" I ask.

"I'm Sam" responds the tall one. "That's my brother, Dean" he says, pointing across the worn wooden table.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask, still putting on a smiley show.

"Just relaxing with a few beers after work." Dean responds. "What about you?"

"I was bored and looking for a good time."

Dean smirks. "You came to the right place then"

Sam looks annoyed and slightly nauseated by the whole thing. This is hilarious, probably the most fun I've had all week.

"You know Dean, we should really get going. We've got that case to work on." Sam says with a stern look.

"Case? What are you guys, cops?" I interrupt. That could explain why they were looking around so oddly.

Dean pulls out a badge. "FBI actually. Here about the recent murders."

That settles it. There's no way in hell they're FBI. These boys are not uptight and organized enough to be FBI. And they probably wouldn't whip out their badge in front of randos at the bar. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say they're in the same line of work as me. I decide it might be entertaining to screw around with them a little bit.

"Well that's funny. I'm here for the same reason." I say as I reach into my pocket and pull out the my counterfeit FBI badge.

I see the boys' eyes flash a look of concern, so quick a normal person would probably have missed it. Years of practice have made it easy to allow them to keep up their front, but nobody can cover up microexpressions completely.

"Oh there must have been a mix-up at the office." Dean says, laughing it off easily.

"That's strange, I haven't had that happen before." I say, faking a look of concern. "You know, maybe I should call my supervisor to check your ids…just in case"

Sam laughs, "That's really not necessary."

I pause for a few seconds. "I guess you're right. Mostly because I'm not FBI either." They look confused. "Are you guys here after the vamps?" I ask, lowering my voice.

"You're a hunter?" Deans asks.

"Of course. I've been here all week investigating. How long have you two been in town?"

"We just got in today." Sam answered. "Got wind of the murders in the paper and thought they seemed like our kind of thing."

"If you've got it covered, then I guess Sam and I can head out in the morning" Dean says.

"Actually, this is a bigger group than I've dealt with before. There's around 10 or so, and I've only hunted a pair of vamps. I'm sure I could take them down on my own, but if you guys don't mind, it would be nice to have a hand." I reach into my bag and pull out a small file. "Here's all the intel I've got. The only other thing I had left to do was research the layout of the building, to get a little more of a plan together." I set the folder down, and Sam picks it up to leaf through it.

"Looks good to me. I'm gonna head back to the motel and see if I can dig up anything." He nods at his brother. "You coming Dean?"

"I'll catch up with you later Sammy."

Sam nods and makes his way out of the hazy bar.

"So" Dean says, turning to me "how long have you been at this?"

"Not too long. I know a lot of guys have been doing it all their lives. I have for about 15 years, if you count the years I spent as my mom's sidekick."

"You and your mom huh? Something happen to dad to get you into the life?" Dean asks. His question is a little intrusive but I don't really mind sharing.

"Nope. Dad was never around, my mom and him got divorced when I was young. I Barely even know him. It was my brother that got me into it all."

"What happened?"

This part I'm not a fan of. I suppose I should be over it, but something like that is hard to let go of. I take a deep breath. "My younger brother, Jake, had some psychiatric issues growing up, so we really didn't notice it at first. Mom and I just thought he was acting strange because of his mental issues. In reality, he'd been possessed by a demon. Of course we didn't know that until after."

I pause and look down at my nails as I nervously pick off the black polish on them. "One day when I was 11, my brother stayed home from school with my mom because he said he was feeling sick. That afternoon, I got off the bus and walked up to my house to find my brother stabbing my mom. I saw through the window that she was tied to a chair and had cuts on her arms where he'd slashed her. He hadn't hit anything vital yet. So, I ran to the garage where my mom kept her shotgun. I knew where it was because I was the oldest and I was in charge when she wasn't there. I went in the house and shot my 9 year old brother. As I pulled the trigger, I saw black smoke rush out of him. My brother had issues but he wasn't psycho and my mom didn't accept that as the explanation. After everything, my mom and I looked into it all and saw he had all the signs pointing to possession. I feel guilty now, but I didn't know back then."

"I'm sorry Maria. That's terrible, I don't know what I'd do without Sammy." Dean says with sincerity.

"It's alright, it was a long time ago. I've help a lot of people since then and I think Jake would understand." I respond, plastering on a fake smile.

He nods, but I'm pretty sure he can see through the mask. I decide I need something to drink, and something strong. I turn towards Dean. "Hey, you mind ordering me a couple shots?"

 **A/N: Thank you to all who have followed/favorited! It means a lot!**


	3. Chapter 3

I walk back to my hotel and climb up the steps to my room on the second floor. I kick off my boots after I walk in and collapse on the bed. Dean and I made plans for us and his brother to meet at a diner nearby for breakfast. After that we'd go in after the vampires.

But right now, I'm exhausted. I try to keep thoughts of my brother out of my mind for this very reason. I grab an old tshirt and shorts to sleep in, and get ready for a nice, long shower. I've found that is the best thing for a crappy mood.

I pull off the layers of clothes I've got on; a flannel a size too big that I stole from a one night stand, a black torn-up tank top, black leggings. My snarly, messy, curly hair tumbles down to my shoulder blades as I pull it out of my pony tail. It was dyed a bright, fire-engine red, but now it's faded to a softer scarlet. I suppose I need to re-dye it.

I turn the faucet, all the way to the hottest setting. I step in and let the water run over me, washing away the dirt and grime. My skin turns bright red as the hot water hits me. I scrub soap over me with a washcloth, over the scars and scratches that adorn my body. Sometimes I hate all the ways my body has been marked by my job, but I like how it's a badge of honor at the same time.

I do one final rinse off and step out onto the bathmat. I slip into my pajamas and look at my reflection in the mirror. I may be hunter, but I still care a little about how I look. My hands rake through my hair, untangling it at least a little bit. I stare at myself, checking myself over. I'm not the skinniest girl, but the physical aspect of the job has kept me in good shape. I look a little chunky, but I can kick anything's ass. I give myself a small little smile and head off to bed.

I fling the covers back and leap onto the queen size bed. The pillows are soft and fluffy and I wrap the comforter around my body, swaddling myself in warmth. It's not long before is slip into a comfortable slumber.

* * *

 _I'm back in my 11 year old body, and every feeling I felt that day comes flooding back into me. It's like watching myself in a movie and experiencing it at the same time._

 _I'm getting off the bus, skipping my way up to the house. I made a new picture in art class today that I can't wait to show my mom. She loves seeing my drawings and I love drawing them for her. I'm about to walk into the door when I see something strange in the window out of the corner of my eye._

 _My stomach drops and I feel bile rising up in my throat. My mom is tied to one of our kitchen chairs. Her mouth is taped shut and she had blood running down her arms. My 9 year old brother stands in front of her, wielding a steak knife._

 _I run before he can see me through the window and head to our garage. My mom kept a shotgun in the garage and I knew the code to the safe. She told me it "just in case". I open the safe, grap the loaded gun, rush through the kitchen and into the living room. I aim the gun at my beloved little brother and see him stare back at me with wide, blacked out eyes. He smiles a terrifying smile, showing all his teeth. Tears start to form in the corners of my eyes. Jake is my responsibility, my little brother that I love more than anyone in the world. But he's hurting my mom and I can feel that he is going to kill her. I just know._

 _Everything feels like an hour squeezed into the timespan of a second. As soon as my finger touches the trigger, a thick, black smokes streams out of Jake's mouth and out the window. The gun fires during this explosion of smoke and hits my brother square in the chest. He drops to the ground in what feels like slow motion. My heart splinters into a million pieces and throw the shotgun to the ground. I run over to the little brother who I've protected and cared for my whole life. I grab him as he stares up at me, his eyes back to their normal golden brown color. Bright red blood is slowly seeping out of his mouth._

 _Jake dies in my arms and I want to die with him. I killed the person I loved most. Memories of us flash before me. The day I carried him home after he scraped his knee badly when he fell off his bike. The time I beat up a boy a grade ahead of me who'd been picking on him while we rode the bus. When we (attempted) the make our mom breakfast in bed. The many times I helped him with his homework._

 _All of these times are gone, as are the opportunity for more. I'll never get to see Jake grow up. I'll never see him fall in love, and have a family. I'll never see his kids and I'll never get to be an aunt to them. Everything that could have been is gone and I took it all from him._


	4. Chapter 4

"Fuck" I flip over, still mostly asleep and shut off the alarm on my phone. That was not a very restful night, but it's time to get moving regardless. I pull on some jeans, a t-shirt, and a flannel, and call that my outfit for the day.

I step over to the small hotel vanity and slap myself awake. The miniature bar of soap provided by the hotel suds up as I wash my face with it. As I rinse, I grumble at the ever-present dark circles that ring my eyes. I could sleep for a week and they'd still be there.

My make-up routine is pretty low-maintenance. I haphazardly smudge on black eyeliner and swipe on mascara, then call it a day. The last thing I do before I head out the door is pull on my boots and grab my keys.

I do one last minute check of my supplies once I get to my truck. I want to make sure I'm as ready as I can be. Taking some wise words from the girl-scouts, it's good to always be prepared. I pull down the tailgate of my trunk and open the toolbox I installed there. My collection of hunting paraphernalia is laid out before me. Everything seems in order, so I slam the lid shut, close the tailgate and hop in the cab.

We meet at a small mom-and-pop diner. There's not too many people here, mostly old-timers who've probably been frequenting this place for years. The waitress shows us to our booth and I slide in one side, the boys slide in the other. I order myself eggs and toast, and the guys pick out their breakfasts. A few minutes later, the waitress brings out our orders and fills our mugs with piping hot black coffee.

"You guys ready to roll?" I ask between bites of toast.

"Yeah. I was looking at blueprints of the Hotel McCurdy last night and I think it would be best to go up the stairwell on the west tower. It looks like the vamps are staying up in the west penthouse." Sam explains.

"Sounds like a plan to me"

"We got some deadman's blood last night, you need some?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, that would be perfect. I've got some syringes in the truck to put them in."

We scarf down the rest of our food and sip on some piping hot coffee. After we pay, we all head out to the parking lot.

"I'll see you guys in a few" I call as I hop into the cab of my truck.

The small, cramped downtown streets make it difficult to maneuver the truck around but I make it to the old hotel in a few minutes. The boy's black car is already sitting in the gravel lot behind the crumbling old building. I pull up beside them and park.

All my tools are in the bed of the truck. I grab the syringes for the dead man's blood, as well as some weaponry. I arm myself with two katanas that I used on my last vampire hunting excursion. I strap them criss-cross style on my back. I take a few miscellaneous knives and strap them to my thighs and calves.

Dean brings me over a mason jar half full of dark red blood and I fill up several syringes full.

"Alrighty, all ready to go in?" I say.

"Ready to roll." Dean answers and Sam nods in agreement.

Dean and Sam lead the way as we enter the lower floor. To reach the western stairwell, we have to make it through the expansive lobby.

As I walk quietly through, I look around at what used to be a magnificent jewel in the city. Beneath the dust, grime, and rot there is beauty. Cobwebbs connect along the corners, and rats scurry when we walk by. I love old buildings and it's a shame to see one in ruins.

Littered along the edges of the open floor are sleeping bags, and piles of belongings. These were the vamps first meals, but they weren't missed as much as the young professionals they started killing.

Finally we reach the stairwell. Dean pulls open the heavy metal door and dust flurries around our feet. We silently creep up the stairs, trying to keep a low profile. The vampire will smell us soon enough, but we want to have as much of a head start as possible.

My heart starts pumping as we climb higher and higher. I'm sure I shouldn't still be getting this nervous during a hunt, but I can't help it. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to go through a hunt emotionless.

Suddenly, Dean and Sams stop in front of me. Soft footsteps sound from somewhere above us.

Sam whispers "They know we're here".

I pull one of my katanas out of their sheath and hold it out in front of me.

More footsteps come, these ones pounding down the metal stairs, clang,clang,clang. I steady myself for the incoming barrage of vampires. One man launches himself down the stairwell at us, teeth extended and full of rage. Dean grabs him by the shoulders and pushes him off. Sam hacks at him with a machete-type knife, finally cutting off his head. More pour through as we work our way up to the top.

They throw themselves at us in a frenzy of teeth. One leaps onto me, knocking me on my back. I force my forearm under the vampire girl's throat to hold her mouth away from me as I struggle to reach a syringe of blood in my pocket. My fingertips grasp the smooth plastic. I swipe the cap off and plunge the needle into her neck. She goes limp above me and I push her off. To finish the job, I bring down my sword on her neck.

The boys bring down another two themselves, clearing the stairwell. We run up the stairs, now only a couple floors away from the penthouse. Above us, two more vamps bust out of the door and come after us. One knocks Sam down, pinning him to the ground. While Dean is wrestling with the other, I run to assist Sam. I pull out a syringe and stick the vamp in the back of the neck, where his head meets his spine. He goes limp and Sam easily pushes him off. Sam runs to help his brother while I finish the vamp off. His head rolls to the side, blood seeping out of his neck.

The three of us run up the next couple of flights of stairs and bust down the penthouse door. The oldest vampire, a thin, pale woman and her mate are standing near the back of the room. The other three vamps last standing are guarding them, keeping their leaders safe. We waste no time and charge toward them. The boys slash with their machetes and I wield my katana. A huge male tackles me and I struggle beneath him, trying to avoid getting my throat ripped out. He extends his teeth and I feel his saliva drip onto my face.

I look to each side. Both the boys are in their own struggle with vamps, so I am on my own. I let out a small growl and manage to wedge my katana between my body and his. He presses down and I can feel my own blade carving a thin line across my chest. This is it. In one adrenaline-fueled feat I push the sword up at his neck, with one hand gripping the hilt and the other on the blade. A deep gash is being drawn across my left hand while the vamp's head is being separated from his body.

As soon as he dies I throw him off me and rush the heads of the clan. The male mate charges me, faster than a human could ever go. When he gets too close for comfort I stick him with a syringe full of dead man's blood. He drops, woozy and incapacitated enough for me to turn my attention to the real challenge.

The last vampire screams in rage. Vampires mate for life and she is furious that her mate is in danger. She comes after me, snatches my katana, and tosses me across the room like I'm as light as a feather. I hit the wall and plaster falls like snow around me as I fall to the ground. Apparently Sam and Dean finished up their vamps because they are now circling her.

I groan and pull myself to my feet. The other vampire is still lying on the dirty, worn carpet. He's starting to move slightly. I need to act quickly. While the vampiress is distracted by the boys, I dash over to him and remove my other sword from it's hilt. Blood squirts across my face as I bring down the blade on him.

The female turns toward her fallen lover and screams out in a horrifyingly pain filled voice. While she is preoccupied, Sam slashes her head off from behind. It rolls across the floor, still painted with that terrible scream.

 **A/N: Thank you to geetika for the review! Reviews are very much apprciated. Thank you to you all for reading/ following/ favoriting.**


	5. Chapter 5

I run my sleeve across my face to wipe away the blood. "So what are we doing with all the bodies?" I ask.

"As much as I don't want to deal with transporting these bodies, I don't think we can just leave them here. It might be a little suspicious when someone stumbles across them." Sam says.

* * *

Later on, we end up at a burger joint to celebrate with salty fries and greasy burgers.

"Are you guys heading out right away after this?" I inquire between mouthfuls of delicious, juicy hamburger. I kinda like having these guys around; I think I'll miss them when they leave.

"We don't have another case, so we might just catch up on sleep here tonight before we leave town." Dean answers.

"We'll have to call the motel and ask for another night." Sam says to his brother.

I perfect idea pops into my head. "Actually, if you guys want you can come stay with me at my house for the night. My mom will even make an actual dinner for you."

"What do you mean your house?" Dean asks, confused. "Do you live here? I thought you were staying in a hotel?"

"I don't live _here_ exactly. The house I grew up in is in the next town over, about thirty minutes away. I was planning on staying a night or two there while I search out my next case."

Dean looks at his younger brother. "What do you think Sammy?"

Sam shrugs "Sounds alright to me."

"Perfect!" I stuff the last couple of fries in my mouth. "I'll call her and let her know we're all coming."

"Isn't it a little short notice?" Sam asks.

Dean shots him a look. "Dude, we're getting a free, home cooked meal. Don't question it."

I laugh. "It's fine, my mom lives for cooking for people and visitors. She'll be thrilled."

I dial her number and it rings a couple of times before she picks up.

"Maria! How are you?" she asks with a smile in her voice.

"I'm great mom. I'm actually in Evansville right now, just finished up a case. I was planning on coming over and staying for a couple of nights. That alright?"

"Of course! You'll be her for dinner?"

"Yep! And I'm bringing two friends for dinner and the night, if it's okay with you."

"You know it's always alright with me, sweetheart. I never get to make a big meal, I'll ger started right away!" She pauses for a second. "I want to make a good dessert too. Do you think your friends would rather have cake or pie?"

I hold the phone away for a second. "Hey guys, would you rather have cake or pie tonight?"

Dean's eyes light up. "Pie" He says in the most serious voice I've heard come out of his mouth.

"Apparently pie is necessary." I tell my mom.

She laughs and hangs up with an "I love you."

I give the boys a smile. "I told you she'd be thrilled."

We pay for our meals, and leave the waitress a decent tip before walking out the door. Before the guys get in their car, I stop them.

"Do you guys want to follow me to my house or would you rather just meet there? The directions aren't too difficult but I don't mind waiting if you want to just tail me."

"Directions are fine with me." Dean answers.

"Okay, just take the highway straight west, for about twenty minutes. On the right hand side, you'll see a sign for Nation road. Take that, then turn on Copperline. The fourth gravel driveway is mine. There's a bright blue mailbox out front. The driveway is a little long and you can't see the house from the road, so you'll have to drive down it a bit."

"Sounds good. We're gonna go pick up our stuff and we'll meet you out there." Dean shuts the door of his old car and they drive away.


	6. Chapter 6

I hop into my truck and swing by the hotel to check out and grab my stuff. The drive home is pretty straightforward so I put on my driving mix and tune out a little. It's been a long time since I've been around other people, people I could talk to in more than fleeting conversation. I get leads and information from other hunters sure, but I they're all old guys I've never even met in person. I like teaming up with other hunters, it's a refreshing change.

I drive down the highway then turn down the gravel road that leads to my mom's house. As I pull up the drive I spot her peering out the window. By the time I park the truck, she's rushing out to greet me. I hop down from the cab and turn to see her arms outstretched for a hug.

"Maria! Oh, it's been so long sweetheart." A huge smile blooms across her face as she embraces me. It's astounding she was ever a hunter. My mom is the sweetest, nicest person I've ever met. "Where is everyone else?"

"Oh the boys will be here soon. They just had to grab their things from their motel." I answer easily while I grab my bag.

"The _boys_?' Her eyebrows shoot up and she looks at me with a mischievous smile.

"Ugh, not like that mom. They're hunters, we just finished a case together."

"But are they cute hunters?"

Not matter how long we're apart, it's always the same with us. We're more like sisters than mother and daughter.

"Maybe" I answer coyly.

She laughs and we head inside.

* * *

While we're waiting on the boys, I help my mom make dinner. I can't even remember the last time I actually made a meal. It's nice though: I enjoy cooking and it feels like when I was a kid again helping my mom in the kitchen.

She's working on the "real food". I get the pleasure of baking the pie. I like cooking, but I enjoy baking most. Mom puts on the radio and we sing along to it while I'm rolling out the pie dough. I carefully place the pie crust in the pan, making sure to press it into the sides and the bottom.

A knock on the door interrupts me. Mom is elbow deep in a chicken, pulling the all the organs and such out. My apron is covered in flour and pie crust is stuck to my hand. I'm (slightly) cleaner, so I get the door.

The boys are standing on the porch with their beat-up duffel bags hoisted on their shoulders.

I motion dramatically with my arms, pretending to showcase some magnificent palace. "Come on in." They step inside, looking around. "You can just set your stuff to the side there for now." I instruct them, pointing to a small bare area just inside the door. "Follow me, you can come meet my mom."

The guys trail behind me. "Mom, this is Sam" I say pointing to the taller brother, "and this is Dean."

"Wonderful to meet you two! My name is Caroline, but please just call me Carrie." She say with a smile. Apparently she cleaned up while I was gone because she rushes over and pulls them both into a hug. The guys look at me with a look of awkwardness. I just shrug back at them. My mom is the touchy-feely type, so the hug was inevitable. It's still sort of embarrassing though.

"You two make yourselves at home." Mom pulls out a couple of chairs at the island for them. "Maria and I are in the middle of cooking, but stay and visit with us? I want to know all about you!" She says enthusiastically.

"Sure ma'am." Sam says when he and Dean take a seat.

Mom frowns. "There will be none of that ma'am stuff here. I know I'm a mom and a little older, but I refuse to be that stuffy."

Sam apologizes and mom goes right back to her bubbly self. "You two need anything to drink? We've got water, lemonade, sweet tea, orange juice, milk, or beer."

"I'll take a beer" Dean answers and Sam says the same.

Mom grabs them their drinks and we get back to cooking. She's working on the far counter by the oven, while I continue my cooking on the island where the boys are.

"You bake?" Dean says with a mix of amusement and disbelief.

I let out a huff. "Yes, I am just a little civilized you know. I don't just kill stuff."

He looks down at what I'm working on and his face becomes serious. "You're making the pie?"

"Yep. Dessert is my specialty. And I've been told I make a mean pie" I say with a wink as I mix together apples slices, sugar, and spices in a big bowl. I pour the mixture into the crust and get to work cutting strips of crust for the top. I lay them out in a criss-cross pattern, tightly woven with just small slits of space between.

Dean nudges his brother. "Now that is a thing of beauty Sam." he says with his eyes glues to the apple pie.

I laugh and place Dean's new-found love into the preheated oven.

* * *

Later that night we all sat around in the living room, sharing funny stories and laughing with full bellies. Dinner was great, I don't think a speck was left of it. The boys profusely thanked my mom for her delicious cooking. Dean made me promise to save him a slice of pie for him to take on the road tomorrow.

Currently mom is finishing up a rather horrifyingly embarrassing childhood story about me answering the door for the pizza man completely naked. I blush a dark shade of red. The boys are laughing hysterically however.

"It is lovely having you two here." My mom announces as she finishes. "I'm heading to bed. Maria will get you guys some blankets and pillows and show you your rooms. Goodnight boys." She gives them both a quick hug, then makes her way over to me. She hugs and kisses me and I tell her goodnight before she heads down the hall to her room.

Sam turns to me. "You mom is nice."

I nod. "She's a little much sometimes but she's the sweetest ever." I pause. "You guys wanna grab your stuff and I'll show your the rooms?"

They nod and grab their bags, while I take a few blankets and pillows out of the linen closet.

"All the rooms are upstairs." I tell them as we climb up a flight. We walk to the western end of the hallway. I push open the door revealing a small guest room. "This one is yours Sam."

He thanks me and sets inside, setting his things on the floor next to the bed.

I hand over the two pillows I brought up and a couple blankets. "The bathroom is right across the hall."

Dean and I part ways with him. I lead Dean to a door on the other end of the hallway. It stands out from the rest of the neutral colored hallway because it is painted a bright, in your face pink. Dean reaches out for the door handle and I grab his arm to stop him.

"You have to promise not to judge me." I say seriously.

He gives me a weird look but agrees. I sigh and open up the door.

 **A/N: Thanks for the follows/favorites/reviews! And special thanks to guest reviewer, I liked your idea and I think my plan will be something similar/close to that. I wanted to add some angst and that seems like a good way to do it XD**


	7. Chapter 7

"We only have the one guest room, so you get my old room." I explain. "It hasn't changed at all since I graduated high school, so all the remnants of my embarrassing, angsty teenage life are still here."

My walls are plastered in music posters, ranging from Led Zeppelin to Nirvana and Hole. Most everything is in shades of grey and black, with occasional pops of pink and purple. I watch Dean inspect the room and visibly cringe when he spies the photo collage on the far wall.

"Oh, I've got to see this." He says walking over to it. "This is you?" he says with a chuckle, pointing to one of the photos.

"Yeah that was me." I admit. The picture is from my sophomore year. My mop of curly hair is dyed black and small bows pull back the one side. The clothes I'm wearing were my everyday uniform of black on black. My skin is even paler than it is now thanks to some heavy-duty foundation, and black eyeshadow rims my eyes. To top the whole mess off, I'm wearing dark, blood red lipstick. "I had a lot of feelings back then. Thank god I grew out of that" I laugh.

"This is hilarious." Dean laughs, still studing the collection of photos.

"Whatever, all teenagers are losers. I'm sure you did dumb stuff too. You couldn't have always been so cool and macho." I say teasing.

"For your information, I've always been this awesome." Dean says with smirk.

I roll my eyes. "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night." I say as I walk out the door.

Back downstairs, I grab myself some pillows and a few blankets and set up my bed on the couch. I grab my bag and head into the bathroom to take a quick shower. After I'm scrubbed clean, I pull on a pair of plaid pajama shorts and a tank top.

I snuggle up under my blankets and lay there for a while, trying to fall asleep. I keep moving position, unable to get comfortable. "Guess I won't be sleeping then."

It's not outrageously late, so I'll go bother the boys. Drinks could be fun, so I head into the kitchen in search of alcohol. I find a bottle of Malibu Rum in the fridge and grab three shot glasses.

I climb the stairs quietly and walk over to Sam's room. I pause in front of it and hear soft snores coming from behind the door. _I'll just let him sleep_. I think to myself. On the other end of the hallway I try my luck with Dean. I don't hear anything so I knock quietly and whisper "Dean? Are you awake?"

"Yeah." he answers from behind the door. I hear him walk across the floor and then he opens the door. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I couldn't sleep and though some drinks might be fun." I explain holding up the bottle of booze. "I tried Sam too, but he's out cold."

"Well, I can't say no to alcohol." Dean says with a smile.

A grin spreads across my face. "Great." I set in, closing the door behind me. I plop down on my bed and Dean follows suit. I pour a generous shot for him and hand it off, then pour myself one.

"Cheers." I say as we tap glasses.

We talk a while, about unimportant stuff. Music comes up first and we get into a good natured argument about 80's vs 90's music. Dean defends 80's rock like his life depends on it, while I remain adamant that 90's grunge is a thousand times better. I tell him some of the stupid, funny things I did in my angsty teen phase. We swap hunting stories and give each other tips on monsters we've encountered. We also down several more shots.

"You know, I'm gonna miss you." I admit to him. "You're lucky you have Sam, I'm always on my own." Unfortunately, drunk me is full of feelings and has no qualms about talking about them.

"I am thankful for Sam." Dean looks thoughtful for a second. "I'll miss you to. You're an interesting character." he says, teasing me.

"Well thanks." I laugh and pour myself more rum.

"Do you ever get sad that people like us won't ever have a normal life? Some of my friends from highschool that I'm still in touch with, they're getting married and having kids. I haven't had a boyfriend since I was 19." A touch of sadness crawls across my face. "Do you think it's worth it? I can't see myself doing anything else at this point, but sometimes I wonder what I've missed and what I will miss."

Dean just sort of stares at me with a troubled expression.

"Sorry, that was a little much. I have no filter once I get some drinks in me." I apologize.

"No it's fine, I just haven't really talked to anyone about that. I get it though. I can't see myself ever quitting. I don't really have any other options. Sam stopped hunting for a while and tried to have a normal life. I used to be so jealous of him, that he had that option."

"I'm sorry." I say full of sincerity.

He just gives me a little nod in response. I clear my throat. "I think that might be why I like you so much." He looks up at me surprised. "You get it, you know the life. I've tried it with non-hunters, but I just doesn't work. They think you're cheating, or uninterested. But you know what it's like."

"Yeah." Dean says. He just looks at me for a few seconds.

 _Fuck._ I mentally slap myself. _I really need to learn to shut the hell up._

I'm about to get up and profusely apologize when Dean leans in close and softly presses his lips to mine. I'm taken by surprise to it takes me a second to respond. I lean into him and gently loop my arms around his shoulders.

He pulls back for a moment and smiles, and I give him a grin back.

I pull him back to me and kiss him just a little harder, a little more passionately. He has his hands running down my back while he gently nips at my lower lip.

I break away and straddle him to be closer. We kiss and intertwine with each other. I pull his shirt off and he relieves me of mine. I playfully push him back onto the bed so he's looking up at me. I lay on his warm chest and continue with my kisses. I trail them down his throat and end at his collarbone.

Dean pulls me close to him and flips us over. I lay beneath him, looking up into his intense eyes. It's his turn to cover me in kisses. He starts just under my jawbone, travels down the side of my neck, over my breast and down my stomach.

He reaches around to unclasp my bra. "Wait." I say, gently guiding his hand away. "I don't want to do this if it's just a one time thing. I've been there, done that, and I don't want anymore. No hard feelings if you don't feel the same, but you've gotta let me know." I lick my lips nervously while I wait for his answer.

"I don't want a one night stand Maria." He gives me a soft kiss on the lips to cement his choice. Underneath that tough-guy exterior is a big ol' softy.

I let him undress me and do the same to him. He's gentle but hard at the same time, romantic yet rough. He's got me pinned under him, showering me in kisses while he strokes in and out. I alternate between running my nails lightly over the toned muscles on his back and tangling my fingers in his hair. I finish and he follows shorty.

He keeps me beneath him and looks down at me like he's absorbing every detail. I blush and feel butterflies in my stomach. I've been with a good number of handsome men and beautiful women, but I've never felt this nervous with anyone.

Finally he flops over beside me on his back and I scootch close, laying my head on his chest. I feel warm, soft, and content, like I'm lounging on a cloud in the summertime. Dean looks just as satisfied. I give him one last soft kiss and allow myself to drift into a peaceful sleep.

 **A/N: I'm changing the rating to M because chapter 8 or 9 will include more intense scenes.**


	8. Chapter 8

I'm up first, at the crack of dawn. Dean is softly snoring beside me. I slowly, carefully extract myself from his arms and slip out of bed. Once I pull my pajamas back on, I head down to the kitchen.

My mom is sitting at the table, nursing a steaming cup of coffee. She spies me and flashes me a knowing look. "I see you didn't sleep on the couch" she says with a mischievous glint in her eye.

I immediately turn bright red in the face. "Maybe." I say coyly.

"Oh let me guess who!" she explains. Mom lives for this sort of stuff. She considers for a moment then leans close and whispers "Dean?"

I blush even deeper and she takes that as a yes.

"I figured, he's more your type." I'm not sure what she means by that, but I decide to let it slide. "Personally, I think Sam is outrageously handsome. If I was 20 years younger…"

Terrible images flash across my mind. "Oh my god mom. Don't even go there!"

She just laughs and continues on. "You know I like the tall ones. He's such a sweetheart but looks like a model."

"Enough!" I say in exaggerated discomfort. "You know what? I'm going to try to forget you said all that and imprinted some terrible images in my mind."

I scour the cupboards for something good for breakfast. I uncover some pancake mix and get to work on them.

The boys stumble downstairs, dressed but not quite awake yet.

"Just in time!" I announce, cooking the last of the pancakes. A whole stack of them sits in the middle of the table and I add this final one to the top. "Grab a plate, and grab some pancakes. If you want coffee, the pot is on the counter. There's mugs in the cabinet above it."

Everyone sits at the table and starts chowing down. No talking, just stuffing our mouths.

Mom breaks the silence. "How did you boys sleep?"

"Great, thanks for letting us stay here." Sam answers.

"It was no trouble at all sweetie." Mom assures him. "How about you Dean, how did you sleep?" She questions him. I know her, and she wants to make him squirm.

His eyes dart towards me but he quickly regains composure. "Slept like a baby." He answers with a slightly over the top smile.

"Perfect. When do you guys plan on heading out?"

"We'll back up our stuff after breakfast and then we'll head out." Sam answers.

My heart drops a little bit. I was hoping they'd stay maybe a day more, but I suppose they need to get back to work.

"There's no rush, you two stay as long as you'd like." Mom tells them.

"Thanks, but we've gotta get back to work."

We all finish breakfast soon after. Mom takes our plates to wash them and we all head into the living room. I pull them both in for an unexpected hug. "I'll miss you guys. Let me know if you ever need help on a case or anything."

"Of course. You do the same for us." Sam says.

Dean turns to his brother. "Hey Sammy, you mind packing up for me?"

"It's your stuff, you do it." Sam answers in a typical younger brother fashion.

Dean glares at him. "Dude, just do it."

Sam hesitates but finally agrees. "Fine, but you do it next time."

"Deal."

Sam head up the stairs and once he's out of sight Dean turns to me. "Can we talk outside?"

"Yeah sure." We walk out the door and settle down on the porch swing hanging out front.

"So, I was thinking maybe we could meet up between jobs every so often. If they're not too far apart." Dean explains.

"Seems like the best deal to me." I tell him. A part of me just wants to join the brothers, but I don't know if I can give up all my autonomy just yet.

He hands me a slip of paper with several phone numbers written on it. "The top one is my main number" he explains, pointing to it. "The rest are back-ups. If I don't answer the first one try the others."

I pocket it and hand him a sheet of paper with mine. "Same deal with mine. I usually answer the first one, but if I don't you know what to do."

He nods and puts the sheet in his his pocket. "I'll call every morning." he promises.

"I'll reserve my mornings just for you." I say playfully.

He cracks a half smile.

Suddenly Sam barges through the front door, carrying both bags of their belongings.

"That's my cue to go."

I grab him and squeeze him tight. "Don't forget your pie." I remind him as I let him go.

His eyes go wide. "I almost forgot my pie."

Sam is making his way back to the door when Dean tosses him the car keys. "Start the car. I'm grabbing my pie and then we're outta here."

Sam catches the keys and rolls his eyes at his brother before he heads back to their shiny black car.

I wait at the door for a few seconds for Dean to return. He pulls me close as he steps out the door and plants a quick kiss on my lips. "I'll talk to you soon Maria."

"See ya later Dean."

I stand on the porch with a smile and wave as the boys pull away, then disappear down the drive.

 **A/N: I'm back at college now, so they next few chapters may come out a little slower. Thanks for sticking with me!**


	9. Chapter 9

"I can't believe you." Sam scolds. "Well, I can but I wish I didn't."

"What?" Dean shrugs off Sam's comment while they're blazing down the highway. "I don't get what the big deal is."

"She was nice, Dean. You slept with her and made her think you're just going to settle down with her. You need to learn some self control."

"Whoa, it's not like that Sammy. She's in the life, she knows what goes on. She knows I'm not gonna be around all the time and I know she isn't either." Dean pauses and says thoughtfully, mostly to himself "That's why this is going to work."

* * *

I stuck around home for a few more days before I too headed out. I drove around the country, doting across the map. A demon was sent back to hell in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The vengeful spirit in Tybee Island, Georgia gave me some trouble, but she was vanquished too. I dealt with a rogue, out of control witch in Carson City, Nevada.

Dean kept his promise. He called every morning at the crack of dawn, wherever he was. I always answered. Even if it was only a minute or two, he always called. It's nice knowing someone, somewhere cares, someone who doesn't have to. I know long-distance is usually a relationship killer, but it works for us.

* * *

There's a rash of disappearances in a beach town on the South Carolina shore. Three people have gone missing, two women and one man. They're from different places, different backgrounds but somehow they've all ended up disappearing here. I got a tip about the situation and hauled myself down to the beach to see what's going on.

The first morning, I go down to the police station to see who reported everyone missing, so I can talk to them myself. I plan to interview anyone who knew the victims or traveled with them.

The first man I speak to is the husband of the first missing woman, Alicia Schneider. I call and ask him to meet me at a quiet coffee shop on the beach.

I walk in and the door chimes with a small bell. A man, looking exhausted and worried, glances up at me.

"You must be Agent Paige." he says softly, standing up to shake my hand.

"Yes, thank you for meeting me here Mr. Schneider." I take a seat across from him. "Now, I know you answered questions from the police but I wanted to hear everything for myself, to get a good picture of what happened. Can you walk me through everything you and Alicia did Thursday night?"

"Well, it was our second night here in town. We were looking for something different to do, so we asked the man at the front desk of the lobby if there was anything he recommended. He named off a couple of tourist traps, and some nice restaurants. The last thing he told us was that a circus came into town yesterday and would be here all week. He hadn't seen it yet, but he said a rep came in this morning to give him some cards for the hotel guests. My wife and I thought that sounded fun, so we went that night."

"And did anything odd happened there? Anything that seemed strange or caught your attention?"

"Everything was strange, it was a circus. It's supposed to make you feel weird." the man answered.

"Nothing stood out at all?" I ask again.

"Like I said, it was all weird." He pauses. "The strangest part was probably the freak show though."

"A freak show? Tell me everything you remember from that, even if it doesn't seem important."

"Well, there was a lot of weirdos there. There was a bearded lady, whose beard had grown down to her knees. A lot of the usual freaks were there; a strongman, a little person, a man who swallowed fire and swords. There was a contortionist who fit herself into a suitcase. And a man covered in tattoos."

"Any of them stick out to you?" I ask.

"The man with the tattoos. All the other freaks kind of worked together, joking around in their acts. He was off the the side a little and didn't say anything." He pauses and a troubled look crosses his face. "He kept staring at Alicia and I, but I thought that was just part of his act. To make him seem more freaky and scary, you know?"

"Thank you Mr. Schneider." I tell him, standing up and shaking his hand. "I'll look into it and we'll keep trying to find Alicia for you."

I spend the rest of the day interviewing all the others mentioned in the police reports. All the victims went to the circus in the last three days, so I decide to investigate there that night. I went to the hotel Mr. Schneider mentioned and retrieved a business card from the front desk.

"The Mysterious Max's Circus. Join us for untold excitement and bewilderment!" I read out loud. "Do you know anything about them?" I ask the young man working.

"Not really. Some guy in a suit came in here Wednesday night, saying this was his circus and they'd be in town until next Wednesday. He asked me to display the cards, like we do the other attractions in town." He explains, pointing to a display full of pamphlets and business cards.

"Thank you for your time" I say before leaving. It's time for me to get a ticket to the circus.


	10. Chapter 10

The circus isn't set to open until the evening so I have a couple of hours to kill. Deciding that some pretty scenery would do me good, I drive down a winding gravel road and end up by the shore. As I hop out of the cab of my truck, I feel the salty air on my skin and a grin makes its way across my face. It really is the little things that fill you with the most joy.

I trek down closer to the water, feeling the soft sand give way under my heavy boots. Halfway down I kick them off and let my feet absorb the warmth of the sand. Eventually I plop down near the water, just close enough that I can stick my toes in it.

I decide to give Dean a call, give him all the new details on the case. I dial his number and it rings a few time before his familiar voice picks up on the other end.

"Hey there, girly. How's the case going?" he asks.

"It's good, I think I've got a solid lead." I explain the circus to him and the interviews I had with everyone. "That's enough of me, what big, bad thing are you guys chasing now?"

"Nothing at the moment, but there's been some suspicious murders in the Richmond area, so we're driving out to Virginia. We'll see if we have a case or not where we get there."

Sam shouts in the background. "I'm betting on werewolves!"

I laugh softy. "I'll let you guys get back to that. I've got a circus to go to."

Dean gets a slightly more serious tone to his voice. "Just be careful."

"Always." I respond with a hint of sarcasm. "See ya later Dean."

"See ya Maria."

He hangs up and I gather myself up to head back to the truck.

* * *

I arrive at the gates of the circus and fork over cash to the ticket salesman. A steady stream of people flow into the brightly lit area. There's a huge, main tent, where I assume the main acts will be. Scattered around are some rides, game booths, port-a-potties, and finally the freak show. People are walking everywhere laughing and talking among themselves. Kids are screaming and weaving their way through the crowd. Clowns make balloon animals and hand them out to the crowd. Flashing lights in every color dance around and loud music plays over server huge speakers. Its chaotic and colorful and everything a normal circus should be.

I snake around the various areas, searching for anything overly suspicious. So far, seems like just the normal amount of weird. When most people begin funneling into the big top, I sneak off to the freak show. A neon blue sign proclaiming "Freaks" lights up the opening to the slender, long tent. I'm the only one at the entrance so I walk on in.

I brace myself for whatever could be there but the dimly lit hallway is empty. I walk the gauntlet of freaks all alone. Each spot has a placard for the freak who goes there. I pass by all of them, the bearded lady, the strong man, the human pin cushion. I finally reach the last exhibit labeled "the man of a thousand tattoos". I assume this is the guy Mr. Schneider was telling me about. To my disappointment, the whole place is empty and completely clean of anything suspicious.

I let out a small huff of frustration and move to pull back the heavy curtain to exit the freak show. I feel a heavy hand grasp my shoulder and everything dissolves into darkness around me.


End file.
